How do I fill in holes on my mdf table

[stairgod]

I know there is a medium to fill the holes I have created in my mdf table. I could use body filler however as I have over 90 holes that are about 12" oval and 1/2" deep in the top of my table where I have inserted my pervious gasket pattern. Yes it is a large table 9' x 28' and I want to change my gasket pattern after 18 months of using the present configuration. I was thinking it is some kind of miodeler medium that was used at one time?

[CalG]

Dry wall mud?

[CarveOne]

Originally Posted by stairgod I know there is a medium to fill the holes I have created in my mdf table. I could use body filler however as I have over 90 holes that are about 12" oval and 1/2" deep in the top of my table where I have inserted my pervious gasket pattern. Yes it is a large table 9' x 28' and I want to change my gasket pattern after 18 months of using the present configuration. I was thinking it is some kind of miodeler medium that was used at one time?

If you have some clean MDF dust in a vacuum cleaner bag or a dust collector bag, you can try making a thick putty of MDF dust and a little yellow glue and squeege it into the holes and cut marks. Let it fully dry and then run a program to re-plane the table. Try it on a small section and if it works satisfactorily then rework the whole table where it needs filling.

CarveOne

[FandZ]

Why don't you just rout out 90 12x.5 mdf circles and clue them in and resurface them?

[stevespo]

My first thought was "just buy a new sheet of MDF for $25", then I saw your machine dimensions! 9'x28' = 7+ sheets. Ok, so patching makes sense, but factoring in all the time and materials - that's a tough call.

Steve

[stairgod]

Thanks Carveone, Thats one solution I found on the website but the only mdf I have in my shop is the 2" mdf on my CNC table, that costs around $100 sheet Canadian (that used to be $25 US). When the company that first tried to build my vacumn system screwed up and routed a wrong pattern they had a blue coloured ( ("colored" if I was American) medium that I thought they got from a modeling place (like a place that they build movie models and mock-ups) Drywall mud will just crack as I am moving 2x10/ 2x12 20'-24' material on and off the machine 10 times a day and it isn't a gently exercise.

Thanks for all your input.

[CarveOne]

Originally Posted by FandZ Why don't you just rout out 90 12x.5 mdf circles and clue them in and resurface them?

I like FandZ's idea better than mine for the holes, but where long gouges exist FeatherLite or Bondo automotive body putty may work best. The MDF paste idea is really cheap, should adhere really well, and has no polyester fumes, but I haven't tried it so far. Either way might be worth a try.

Drywall putty will dull the cutters if it has any silica in the formulation. It has a longer setup time also.

CarveOne

[stairgod]

Michaels the craft store carries several different modeling mediums including Delight and several other paper base products. They open in a couple of hours and I'll let you know how it works.

[ger21]

I'd patch it with MDF, and fill the joints with thickened epoxy, which will adhere better than bondo, and is much harder. It is more expensive, though.

[ger21]

I'd patch it with MDF, and fill the joints with thickened epoxy, which will adhere better than bondo, and is much harder. It is more expensive, though.

[CarveOne]

For the holes, have your router make pockets at each hole location (or use a plunge router by hand) and then use a poplar dowel to make plugs to epoxy in place. This will save on the epoxy needed and the poplar plug is not much different in density than the MDF. Epoxy fill the gouged areas.

CarveOne

[ger21]

Where do you get 12" oval dowels?